Anger powered cars are the solution. Propel yourself down the interstate with pure RAGE!
Price of gas is a beeotch!!!!
by MsMcDucket 41 Replies latest social current
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Gadget
London has a decent and affordable rapid transit system. Most of America doesn't.
Most of England doesn't either. When I visit my brother in London my car stays parked up because its easier and quicker on public transport. Here at home I have to use my car. I have a 25 mile commute each way to work, and my local garage has just put its price up to 114.9 per litre ($2.33). On top of that we also have sky high property prices. I live in a very small terrace house, but a quick internet search has found a house in America tha same price as mine, but a detached 4 bed/3 bath, in a gated community with an acre of land. And local facilities are actually closer than what I have here in England!
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WTWizard
One thing: I am glad I don't have to waste so much out in field circus now.
Other things--You could get better gas mileage simply by making sure your tires are properly inflated. Many people do not keep them up--and that wastes gas. If you don't believe it, try riding a bike with the tires at 25 PSI, and then inflate them to 60 PSI and notice the change.
If you keep the car well tuned, you will get better gas mileage.
Driving 55 can save gas. If you are going faster, you lose gas mileage because the drag increases with the square of the speed. This is made worse if you have things (like ski racks, flags, etc.) sticking out into the wind. Such items only increase drag.
Wasted trips waste gas. Obviously, trips to and from the Kingdumb Hell or the territory waste gas. Also, you could take the bus if possible. That could save a car trip to a mall. If you do drive, you could get all your errands done while out on the road (including after work). Car pooling makes sense, but only if both people live along or close to the route.
Lighten up the vehicle. Once it warms up, you no longer need that winter emergency kit. In parts of Texas and the Southeast, it is already there. By all means, keep that emergency kit if there is a reasonable chance of a blizzard. Snow tires are included--they do poorly for gas mileage and should be switched for regular ones as soon as reasonably possible (but not at the expense of getting stuck).
When it's time to shop for a car, think fuel economy. Think, will this be suitable if gas hits $10 a gallon or more? Even if gas prices fall sharply, you should still think fuel economy because they can go right back up if another disruption hits. Match the size of the vehicle to your realistic needs--if you commute solo to work, you do not need a Ford Excursion or Chevy Suburban.
For short trips, try a bicycle. True, you cannot take a couch or big screen TV on a bicycle. Nor would I expect you to use a bicycle to travel 100 miles in freezing weather or in heavy rain. But, for that commute of under 5 miles in good weather, you might want to ride a bicycle. If you are going to the corner store for a pack of cigarettes, a bicycle might save gas (and partially offset some of the damage smoking does to your lungs). Walking is also cost effective for very short trips, plus it helps keep you fit and thin.
If you cannot ride a bicycle, at least allow plenty of room for any bicycles and pedestrians you see. They are slower than cars, and can be a nuisance (and especially when they think they are totally above the law--bicycles must still stop for red lights and stop signs, and ride with traffic). However, every bicycle on the road is a car that is not burning gas. It is a car that is not contributing to the next shortage. It is a car that is not helping drive up the price of gas. it is a car that is not giving the big oil companies any business. The more we all encourage bicyclists, the more of them will show up and help drive down the price of gas.
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sammielee24
Anyone who's seen the documentary on the electric car already knows that the technology has been there since before gas powered cars and in fact, it was the decision of Ford etc to make only gas fired cars because it was more profitable for them. If you are in a country that sells 98% of its cars built for gas then it stands to reason that's what the majority will buy. We always bought little 4 cylinder, cheap cars to use because of the cost but then insurance companies started raising the price of insurance on those cars because they didn't withstand accidents as well. Higher risk. They cost less to buy but were essentially throw away cars - a term coined at the local dealership.
It isn't just about vehicles. It's about heating. In many parts of Canada and the USA there is no feasible alternative to heating if you have oil. We used to have a wood stove back up to an oil furnace, but now wood is a no-no enfironmentally and the insurance companies once again, felt wood stoves held higher risk so they started raising their rates.. No natural gas available. Propane was out of reach for most people because of the cost, the rental of the tanks and the cost of conversion or purchase of appliances etc. I feel for every single person out there trying to exist in a cold climate with rising prices - one guy in NY heats with kerosene and he fully expects to hear of deaths directly to a lack of heat for people by next year if things don't change. sammieswife.
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sammielee24
London has a decent and affordable rapid transit system. Most of America doesn't.
I was talking to a friend in England the other day and he told me that once he hits 60 this year, he becomes eligible for free bus trips anywhere in England and that his rates are reduced by 1/3 for train travel. He primarily uses train or bus for all his needs. sammieswife.
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MsMcDucket
If you cannot ride a bicycle, at least allow plenty of room for any bicycles and pedestrians you see. They are slower than cars, and can be a nuisance (and especially when they think they are totally above the law--bicycles must still stop for red lights and stop signs, and ride with traffic). However, every bicycle on the road is a car that is not burning gas. It is a car that is not contributing to the next shortage. It is a car that is not helping drive up the price of gas. it is a car that is not giving the big oil companies any business. The more we all encourage bicyclists, the more of them will show up and help drive down the price of gas.
Pretty soon we'll look like China!
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BreakingAway
Anger powered cars are the solution. Propel yourself down the interstate with pure RAGE!
Thanks for posting this ! It's one of the funniest things I've read in a long time !
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FlyingHighNow
I would love it if America had based it's lifestyle on cycling and walking. And it would be peachy if all cities provided great rapid transit systems anyone could afford. Sadly, this just isn't the case for most Americans, that their cities or towns are set up this way. In my city, it can be an hour in between busses and they don't run after 10 PM for many routes. So if you work late into the night or go in very early, you can forget using rapid transit. If I could have my way, I'd have been born in Sweden or UK. That is if I didn't have to eat steak and kidney pie.
I could likely catch the bus to work, but I'd have to drive Julian to the babysitter, 10 mile round trip. And there wouldn't be a bus as early as I need to go. I'd have to switch busses and it would take me two hours to get to work and two hours home and I'd have to go pick up Julian. It just wouldn't do, catching the bus to work.
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dinah
True, Flyin', if we had to take a bicycle to McDonald's we probably wouldn't all be so damn fat.
Thing is, America is really spread out. Even when I lived in Birmingham, it took about as much travel time to go 5 miles as it takes to go 15 miles here.
Hubby grew up in Germany. He has my longing to move over there. Little communities. He would walk to the corner market with his Mom with a canvas bag (not paper or plastic) and buy food for the day. Fresh bread, fresh meat, fresh veggies. He said they ate like kings. Of course his Mom had to cook, no tv dinners and such.
America is going to have to wake up and see how wasteful we really are. The SUV craze kicked our ass. People see that now. When I see a "soccor mom" fill up her tank, I silently chuckle while I fill up my Saturn on about $30.00. I can drive about 450 miles on a tank of gas.
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SnakesInTheTower
I filled up last night at $3.09/gal. That is in Missouri. Cross the river into Illinois, taxes bump that to $3.29.
In 2007, I spent almost $3300 on gas alone. So far this year I have spent $200 more than this time last year. It is going to get ugly.
I drive all over the place for a living. My little 4 cyl gets 40mpg if it is straight highway (and the car is almost 6 years old). In town, doing normal errands, I get about 28. When I am working, I leave my car running (but locked) because I would go through starters if I didnt...I stop at up to 50 houses a day, turning off and restarting the car doesnt make sense.... and still get 24mpg....
Soon I will be driving a leased company truck..still 4cyl...but I am sure not as good mileage... if the gas gets much more expensive, I will have to find another job. I have to pay for my own gas...and the company has not upped the percentage I am paid on my commissions since I started 2.5 years ago. Gas was averaging $2.25 or less a gallon then...sheesh..
Snakes ()
